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Swimming
March 13, 2026 at 02:19 AM
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Swimming lets Zois exercise in pools and explore the ocean at beach locations. The feature was not available at launch in March 2025. It arrived in the v0.3.0 update on August 20, 2025, alongside the Island Getaway DLC. Swimming introduced its own skill, pool building in Build Mode, ocean access at beaches, snorkeling with underwater collectibles, and drowning as a potential cause of death.
Two swimming environments are available:
Pools - built at home through Build Mode or found at public pool locations around the cities.
Ocean - walk into the water at any beach. Available in Bliss Bay and Cahaya. Dowon does not have ocean swimming since it is an inland city.
Pools are built in Build Mode under Buildings > Exteriors > Swimming Pool. Two approaches:
Preset pools - select from pre-designed pool shapes and drop them onto the lot.
Custom pools - draw pool walls manually by placing points. Adjust the height and steepness of each wall segment. All wall lines must connect to form a closed shape, or the pool won't hold water.
Pools can be built outdoors in the yard or indoors as part of the house structure. Indoor pools work exactly the same as outdoor ones.
After placing a pool, several customization options are available:
Lighting - add underwater and rim lighting to illuminate the pool at night.
Paint - change the pool surface color and material.
Pool floaties - 4 types of floating objects that Zois can interact with.
Pool lamps - 4 types of poolside lighting fixtures.
Ladders - give Zois an easy entry and exit point. Without a ladder, Zois jump in from the edge.
Click a pool and select "Go" to have the Zoi enter the water. Once swimming, two control methods:
Point-and-click - click anywhere in the pool and the Zoi swims to that spot.
Direct control - use WASD to swim in any direction manually.
Hold Shift while swimming to switch to freestyle. Freestyle is faster but drains energy more quickly.
While in a pool, Zois can do more than just swim laps:
Practice Holding Breath - the Zoi dips underwater. Builds the swimming skill.
Dance in Water - a fun social activity that can improve relationships when done with others.
Float on tube - requires a pool tube to be placed in Build Mode first. The Zoi lounges on the tube and relaxes. This activity does not drain energy, making it the safe way to enjoy the pool.
At any beach in Bliss Bay or Cahaya, walk a Zoi into the water and swimming begins automatically. Ocean swimming uses the same WASD and point-and-click controls as pool swimming.
The ocean is riskier than a pool. There is no edge to grab onto if energy runs low. Venturing far from shore with depleted energy is dangerous because the Zoi's swimming speed drops as energy drains, making the return trip slower. Higher swimming skill levels reduce ocean threats, including encounters with sharks.
Snorkeling is an ocean activity available at Cahaya. It lets Zois dive beneath the surface to explore coral reefs, encounter marine life, and collect sealife items for profit. To start, visit a snorkeling stand at the beach (one is located at Barat Beach on the right side of the map).
Three snorkeling sets are available for rent at the stand:
Beginner Set - basic gear for first-time snorkelers.
Diver Set - intermediate equipment with better range.
Ocean Pro Set - advanced gear for extended underwater sessions.
Rented equipment appears in the Zoi's inventory automatically. With equipment in hand, swim out past the shallows into the Deep Sea area, then select the Zoi and choose either "Practice Snorkeling" (to raise the skill level) or "Start Snorkeling" (to explore and collect items).
The waters around Cahaya contain coral reefs, sea turtles, dolphins, and ancient temples submerged on the sea floor. Snorkeling Zois can observe the marine life and explore these underwater sites. The ancient temples may contain treasure that can be recovered.
While snorkeling, collected sealife items (such as sea urchins) go directly into the Zoi's inventory. These items can be sold at the Coin Exchange Kiosk located in the Sri Lestari Resort, to the left of the information desk. The kiosk converts collected items into coins, which can be redeemed for special resort-themed items.
The deep water is not safe. Sharks and jellyfish swim in the same areas and can seriously injure or kill a Zoi. Swimming long distances to reach snorkeling spots drains energy and stamina, so watch the energy need gauge carefully. Running out of energy far from shore while snorkeling carries the same drowning risk as regular ocean swimming.
Swimming has its own dedicated skill that was added alongside the feature in v0.3.0. Benefits of leveling the skill:
More efficient swimming (less energy spent per stroke).
Faster swimming speed at higher levels.
Reduced danger from ocean threats like sharks.
Access to more advanced water techniques.
Better snorkeling results with higher-tier equipment.
Young Zois (children) develop a separate "Aquatic Ability" skill instead of the adult Swimming skill. This prepares them for the full Swimming skill when they reach a later life stage.
Swimming consumes energy steadily. After approximately 3 in-game hours of continuous swimming, a Zoi is at serious risk of drowning. As energy depletes:
Swimming speed drops gradually, making movement sluggish.
A warning notification appears indicating low energy.
If the Zoi remains in the water with no energy, drowning occurs and the Zoi dies.
Floating on a pool tube is the exception. Tube floating does not drain energy, so a Zoi can relax on a tube indefinitely without drowning risk. Use tubes for extended pool sessions.
Pools - safer. Zois can grab the edge or climb a ladder when energy gets low. Floaties and tubes provide zero-energy rest options.
Ocean - riskier. No edges to grab. Distance from shore matters. Low energy means slow speed, and slow speed means a longer swim back. Shark and jellyfish encounters are possible, especially at lower skill levels.
Always place at least one ladder in your pool so Zois can exit quickly.
Add pool tubes if you want Zois to relax in the pool without drowning risk.
For ocean swimming, keep trips short until the Swimming skill is high enough to handle extended time in the water.
Watch the energy bar. If it drops below half, send the Zoi back to shore or to a pool edge.
Indoor pools let you swim year-round regardless of weather or season.
At Cahaya, start with the Beginner snorkeling set and upgrade once your swimming skill is higher. Venturing into deep water with low skill and cheap gear is a fast way to encounter sharks.
Sell snorkeling finds at the Coin Exchange Kiosk at Sri Lestari Resort for resort-exclusive items.
